DUBLIN — The Nations League match between Ireland and Austria in Dublin was briefly interrupted twice as spectators staged protests in support of Palestinians.
In the 19th minute, spectators threw tennis balls carrying Palestinian flag stickers onto the pitch, prompting the players to leave the field for several minutes.
The match was disrupted again in the 35th minute when a spectator carrying a Palestinian flag entered the playing area. The incident caused another brief stoppage before the game resumed.
The match eventually ended in a 2-2 draw.
Ireland’s coach said he was not pleased with the disruptions but acknowledged that he understood and respected the reasons behind the protests.
The incidents came after an earlier Ireland-Israel match that had prompted calls for a sporting boycott in the context of the war in Gaza. Ireland won that match 3-0.
Meanwhile, around 200 protesters gathered outside the Dublin stadium as part of the “Stop the Game” campaign, calling for a sporting boycott of Israel.